Dr. Murray H. Lichtenstein

Service Leader

I was born in Boston, and raised in Newton, Mass., attending both Newton High School, and the high-school of the Boston Hebrew College. I then went off to New York City, earning my B.A. in Classical Studies at New York University, and taking time out for a year of study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  As an undergraduate, I also took courses at the Jewish Theological Seminary.   At Columbia University, I earned my doctorate in ancient Semitic languages and literature, which was awarded “with distinction.”

Teaching for a few years at State University of N.Y. at Stony Brook, I then began my 24-year run at Hunter College, City University of New York.  On the faculty of the department of Classical and Oriental Studies, I taught all manner of courses in Hebrew texts from the Biblical to the modern period, with everything in between.  During those years at Hunter College I also published scholarly articles and longer studies on biblical and ancient Near Eastern subjects in the professional journals. My proudest moment was receiving the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, but my happiest moment was when I met Paul, my life-partner of thirty-five years, and going strong!.  The years were also filled with worshiping at C.B.S.T., New York’s Gay synagogue, where I delivered sermons and chanted the prayers, especially for the High Holiday services.  As a professor with my summers free, I became a “reverse snowbird,” spending those months in Fort Lauderdale, and welcoming many a Shabbat at Congregation Etz Chaim.    

When I retired from Hunter in 2000, I moved to South Florida, where I began my second career, lecturing at F.A.U.’s Life-long Learning Society, local synagogues, and various other adult education groups.  The years here have been immeasurably enriched by the spiritual nourishment and nurturing friendships I found at Congregation Etz Chaim.   For several years at a time, usually when we were in between rabbis,   I was honored to lead our weekly Shabbat services with our Cantorial Soloist, deliver the sermons, give public lectures for the synagogue, and teach our regular Torah study sessions.  I continue serving our warm and vibrant synagogue, as one of a merry band of service leaders, speakers, and Torah readers drawn from our own membership, and, every now and then, fill in as a guest Cantorial Soloist.  All of us here at Congregation Etz Chaim hope you will join us in contributing, each in your own way, to the continuing success of this, the only G.L.B.T, synagogue in the southeastern United States.  I know, first-hand, just how rewarding an experience it can be.

Rabbi Noah Kitty

Service Leader

I grew up in Philadelphia, PA. After a series of unfortunate events in the public school system, my parents asked if I would like to spend my senior year of high school in Israel. Of course I would! And who knew a war would break out a month after I got there?! This experience of living in Israel gave me a different perspective of the cost of a Jewish homeland, and eventually led to my desire to serve the Jewish people as a rabbi.  After many happy years in the greater Boston area working towards my BA and MA, I returned to Philly to attend the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. One of my student placements was in Brattleboro, Vermont- yes, there are Jews in them thar hills! Upon graduation I was invited to continue to lead the Brattleboro Area Jewish Community/Congregation Shir Heharim. For seven years I served this wonderful congregation, learning and teaching the many opportunities to explore the varieties of Jewish expression in a rural area. The need to care for my mother (z”l) brought me to South Florida, where I am now happily a “Jew in the pew”. I am honored to be one of the lay service leaders for CEC.

Michael Greenspan

Cantorial Soloist

Ethnic music has always been a part of my life. From my first music trio in high school, to my involvement with international dance groups during my college years at the University of North Carolina .

Spanning college, I joined the Fred Berk Israeli Dance Camp two weeks every summer at Camp Blue Star in Hendersonville , NC .  Under the tutelage of choreographer and mentor, Fred Berk, I honed my musical skills and learned an extensive repertoire of Israeli and other Jewish music.

During my 20’s I lived in Atlanta where I co-created the Erev Duo which performed throughout the southeast.  For three years I studied under the Ukrainian accordion master, Robert Fedusiv, and then moved to south Florida in 1976. 

For 17 years I was a part of the American Balalaika Company, a quartet of dancing musicians traveling throughout the United States , Canada , also visiting Israel , Egypt , Greece , and Turkey . 

In 1989, I received my Masters of Education degree at Florida Atlantic University . Lately, I have been the Technology Specialist at Millennium Middle School in Tamarac .

Stepping back to 1985 a serious change took place. In February, 1985 I decided to visit a small synagogue which I had read about. I walked into Congregation Etz Chaim where a handsome young man was leading services. His name was Jesse.  He smiled at me, and I at him, and so it has gone on for 24 plus years. I am now into my 10th year as Etz Chaim’s Cantorial Soloist.  But it all goes back to that Shabbat in February.  Jesse says I fell in love twice that night: once with him, and once with Congregation Etz Chaim.  If you wish to contact me, please send an email to squeebox@comcast.net.